While the Internet has made it easier for shoppers to locate products and locate products at a price which the shopper is willing to pay for the product, in many other instances the Internet may not always be the optimal means for locating a product or finding a product at a desired price. For example, some products may not be readily offered via the Internet, such as regionally offered products, custom products or the like, while in other instances the shear physical size of the product and the shipping costs associated with the product may not make the Internet the best cost-alternative for purchasing the product.
In those instances in which someone desiring a product (or a product at a specific price point) resorts to locating the product at a physical location, such as a retail store or the like, it can be a daunting task if the product is not in wide distribution or is not typically found at the price at which the shopper is willing to pay. The shopper may spend an unreasonable amount of time and effort in an attempt to locate the product or find the product at the price they desire to pay for the product. In some instances such attempts at finding the product or the product at the desired price may prove futile, since the shopper is typically limited to the geographic region of residence or work.
Therefore, a need exists to assist shoppers (i.e., users) in locating and purchasing products that are not readily available or not readily available at a price which the shopper is willing to pay. The desired system should eliminate or limit the effort that the shopper must put forth to locate the product or locate the product at the price at which they are willing to pay.